360fit - How Women (and everyone) Should Train

 

I absolutely hate seeing seeing trainers, fitness magazines, and so called fitness experts ranting about how women need to do hours of cardio a day to reach their goals. They tell women to get on a treadmill for and hour a day to get the lean look they want.

This is completely wrong. Not only is it wrong but it a huge waste of time!

I just took on a new client who's old trainer had her working out like this. She was frustrated, over trained and gaining weight because her body was so worn down and beat up.

I cut down her work out time, cut her cardio to two 30 min sessions a week, and she is looking better and already in better shape in only a few weeks.

I'm not a miracle worker. I don't have a magic formula for fitness. But I do know simple truths about training and fitness. So here a four rules to follow if you want to get in great shape.

1. More exercise is not better. It is easy to over train and burn yourself out. when you do too much you will lose muscle and gain fat. Recent studies show that anything over an hour of intense training is actually harmful to your heart and won't get you in good shape. It will get you in worse shape.

2. If you want to do cardio to get in shape do intervals. Sprinting for 30s and walking for 1 min for 20 min will get you a better fat burning workout than straight running at a constant pace. If your goal is to be a better runner then there is nothing wrong with constant pace, but if you want to be lean and more fit, intervals is the way to go.

3. Do more compound exercise. This means do exercises that use more muscles. If you can do a curl while sitting that only works biceps. If you do the same exercise standing on a bosu you will get more muscles involved and get a better workout.

4. Take days off. No one is a superhero. Workouts don't get you in shape. They are the stimulus to get fit. Eating clean, and sleeping is when your body repairs and you get more fit.

So try changing up some things and for heavens sake please get off the hours of treadmill.  You will be happy you did.

Devin Sherrington is seven time Best Personal Fitness Trainer in Halifax award winner, and owner the award winning fitness studio 360fit in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. www.360online.ca He lives in Fletchers Lake with his children Reign and Journey.

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